A Tongue's Slip is a Truth's Revelation
by Marvelous.Mirana.of.Marmoreal
Summary: Happy 50th Story! Alice returns from China and heads straight for Underland. She and her friends have been apart for so long- they've missed each other. But what happens when something threatens to tear them apart for good?
1. Decisions, Decisions

**I'm impatient, what can I say? Here's my 50****th**** story thingy! I'm so excited, aren't you? Halfway to 100, hmm? Maybe I can make it there by my next birthday :D Pleaseeeeeee review! This means soooo much to me ;) **

**So, this was how the poll worked. I gave you like 8 choices. I let you all vote until I reached my 45****th**** story. Then, I narrowed the choices down to the top 2 you voted on. Those 2 happened to be a story featuring Mirana/Alice or a story featuring Mirana/Tarrant. Me being impatient, I'm going with what the poll is tonight- **

**2 people for Mirana/Alice**

**4 people for Mirana/Tarrant**

**Thanks to all of you for voting, now let's get this story started! Alice plays a big part in this, so for the Alice fans out there, she's a big part in this!**

**I'm not the kind of person to plan things, so this is all off the top of my head (like alllll my other stories) I'm winging it! Let's try it! Very short first chapter, but we need an intro, don't we? This is a little fast-paced for a first chapter, but I needed to get it moving :)**

_**Alice, 24 years old**_

After just returning from her lengthy trip to China, Alice was bombarded with questions, hugs and kisses from her family members- all her family members being Margaret, her new baby, and Mrs. Kingsleigh. They wanted to know what it was like to be all the way in another country, doing something that not many women could even dream of achieving. Alice took every question and answered them in one way. She simply said "It was amazing, but I'm glad to be home." Alice wouldn't be lying if she said that. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be telling the truth either. It had been amazing- she'd seen so many people, so many different ways of life that were so opposite of hers. But she wasn't _home, _home. Yes, this was where she lived for her whole life, but it wasn't home. A home is where everyone you love is. London, England just wasn't her home.

Nobody would believe her if she told them where her real home was. It was a magical place, sometimes a little dangerous as well. Some say to survive it; you must be as mad as a hatter- which, luckily, she was. At least, she thought she was. She thought of so many impossible things before she even had breakfast and she even had the muchness for it. Or did she? After so much time being a formal lady in front of Lord Ascot, she felt as if she'd lost some of her muchness. She had to be uptight and business-like all the time whether she liked it or not. She was the boss-lady. She had no one her age to speak with, unless you count the oh-so-attractive Thomas. He was one of the deck hands, which meant he was always working. Yet he always made time to meet with young Alice, no matter what the matter was. They said good-bye the other day. He was off to live with his family in Italy again.

When the questions, hugs, and kisses were over with, Alice happily ran to her bedroom and threw herself onto her bed. She had missed being in this room so much. Her walls were now bare, though, causing the young woman to let a tear fall. Her wall had once been covered in beautiful drawings of her Wonderland. Pictures of the March Hare, the White Rabbit, the Dormouse, the Bandersnatch, and the Red Queen were her wallpaper. Most of the pictures featured the Mad Hatter or even the White Queen. She was mesmerized by them. The Hatter's hair was brightly orange and his eyes gleamed with madness. The White Queen seemed very calm and all, but Alice knew she was a bit insane herself. When she'd watch the young Queen work with her potions, when she held that knife, there was a certain look in her eye. It was sort of like she was restricted by too much to have a little fun.

"Alice, what ever is the matter?" asked her mother, very suddenly barging in the room.

"My pictures…they're gone."

"Not gone, dear girl, just put away. I didn't want them to get ruined! They were so beautiful and detailed. You were away for so long you know, they would've gotten crumpled." Alice sighed in relief and looked in the drawer of her writing desk. Sure enough, there they all were- stacked neatly with not one curled corner. She smiled as she looked at each one individually, not quite aware of her mother looking over her shoulder. That is, until she pointed out one picture. It was the only one she'd actually drawn in Wonderland. She caught her best friends standing together and took a mental picture, transferring it onto parchment not moments later.

"This is unbelievable. It's my favorite you know. These people, they are so strange, yet you draw them so realistically. Look at them! Wild eyes and orange hair, brown eye brows and white hair- these people are unthinkable." Alice couldn't stand her mother's talk anymore.

"They happen to be my best friends, thank you. And how dare you laugh at a _Queen _like that! And what about a _Royal _Hatter? Mother, did you think these were random pictures from my thoughts? They are from real experience, dear mother. Not what you think." And with that, she stormed out of her room, pictures in hand. She was only vaguely conscious that her mother wasn't following her. Alice ran out of the house and down the street to the Ascot's mansion. She snuck through the gardens until she found the correct tree. Before looking around, she slumped to the ground. She had just gotten back from China and she was already leaving? Well, yes. She honestly couldn't care less about that at the moment. She was ready to go back- to see her real family.

She was ready to go home.


	2. Madness All Around

Alrighty, sorry for that long ass author's note back there :) I like this story so far, how about you? I know- I've only posted one chapter. Oh well…This chapter moves a little quickly, but whatever…pleaseee review?

**Recommended Song of the Day—"White Star" by Dido. That's actually not the kind of music I usually listen to…but I like it.**

"**I'm coming home, I'm coming home. Tell the world I'm coming home. I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes…"—I'm Coming Home by J. Cole**

_**Mirana, 26 years old**_

No potion in all of Underland could settle the feeling that had taken its place in the pit of Mirana's stomach. She was more anxious than she had ever been- she was going to look at the Oraculem today, just as she did every year. She checked the Oraculem once a year, every year, so that she knew what the year held for Underland. This is part of what made her a great leader. Iracebeth, her sister, had never thought to check the Oraculem- ever. That is why she had fallen so quickly just before the Frabjous Day.

_It'll be okay, Mirana. Nothing too terrible can come now, can it? We've already had the Horevendush Day, the Gribling Day, Quillian, the Frabjous Day…what else? Oh my, oh my…the Salugi Period. What is that about? It certainly doesn't seem very good. But then again, who am I to judge the future._

"You Majesty?" asked the young man next to her. She was ripped from her thoughts as she realized they were about to unravel the large calendar. When they did, nobody was completely surprised. Like she'd predicted, there in front of her was the Salugi Period. It depicted the Hatter and Alice herself walking through the Tulgey Wood. Tarrant didn't look too happy and he had no reason to be- his family had been killed there. He seemed to be telling Alice something, or maybe it was reverse. Mally was riding on Tarrant's shoulder- she had gotten too large to ride by hat. Bayard was at their feet, trotting next to them. They all looked to be extremely concerned about something or other. Oh bother, there was more to the calendar than just the Salugi Period.

She looked farther to her left, a future that was closer to the present. She smiled to herself as she Alice falling down the rabbit hole. She could barely contain the excitement that ripped through her veins. Her friend was returning. "She's coming back," she whispered to herself.

"If you all excuse me for a moment? I've seen enough of the Oraculem for one year- you all may go," she murmured, still grinning like a fool. She curtsied slightly and exited the room. In the hallway, she gently looked over her shoulder. Seeing no one there, she gathered her skirts in on hand, leaving one outstretched for balance, and broke out into a run; the fastest that her thin legs could carry her. "She's returning," she laughed, happy that she was free to be herself at the moment. She ran through the corridors that she knew were empty as she made her way to the Hatter's Workshop. "She's coming back," she reminded herself, repeating her words from just seconds ago. Tarrant was working today, wasn't he? As she reached the workshop, she did not slow. She burst in the room and looked around frantically, still moving around the workshop at top speed. He was in the corner still working, completely unfazed by her sudden entrance. She ran over to him and engulfed him in a hug, her lips just at his ear.

"She's coming home, Tarrant," she whispered, her lips slightly brushing his pale, cold ears. He shuddered and returned her hug. They stayed like that for a moment, both enveloped in their own thoughts. He dug his face into her neck. She could feel his smile; she could picture the silly grin pressing against her flesh. She pulled away gently and held his hand for a few seconds, then let it go.

"For how long, Majesty?" he asked. She grimaced as he used such a formality with her once again, but composed herself quickly.

"She's staying, as far as I know. Oh Tarrant, I'm so happy!" she exclaimed. She laughed and hugged him again, letting the ends of his orange hair tickle her cheek. "She's coming home," she kept repeating, letting her tears of absolute joy overflow onto Tarrant's coat. She was completely ecstatic! Her grip on her Hatter tightened as she was overcome by a surge of sudden happiness. She finally realized what this meant- she'd have her complete circle of friends safe and sound here at Marmoreal. They would be in no real danger as long as she was Queen.

"Your Majesty, what do you suggest we do?" he asked her. She realized that he had gone rigid under her hold- he was uncomfortable with the situation. She stepped away, blushing profusely. He smirked at her as he wiped away the happy tears that had invaded her deep brown eyes. This, of course, only made her blush an even deeper red.

"We should get some Pishalver and Upelkuchen ready- I never know what state that young woman will be in. Then, of course, we should get a room set up for her, prepare some food because she'll be hungry, I can imagine." Her voice began to rise with excitement as she went into a fit of madness. "It must be quite a long fall down that rabbit hole, very far, extremely lengthy, terribly extensive, unbelievably boundless, inconveniently prolonged-"

"Majesty?" he asked. She didn't quite hear him- she was too far off in her little rant.

"Mind-blowingly slow, sickeningly drawn out, astonishingly elongated-"

"Mirana!" he shouted at her. She snapped to attention, eyes wide, and frowned a little; a little crease in her forehead beginning to form.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. He laughed at her and started to go back to work, speaking to her calmly.

"Nothing to be sorry for, my dear. Everyone babbles every once in a while. See, I'm going on right now! Please, don't stop me, love, I'm probably getting on to something. See, Alice should be coming home anytime now. Should we start getting her room ready now? She'll need clothing, certainly, but I can handle that. Perhaps you should get her room ready? I don't trust anyone else to do it right. Our Champion must be comfortable when she returns, correct? Let's get started, Mira, we can't just stand around!" he shouted to her over his shoulder. He, unfortunately, couldn't see her beaming behind him. He'd just used her nickname for the first time in years.

"I'll get right on that, Tarrant. Now, get to work!" she commanded teasingly. She laughed and left the room with the grin still on her face. She rushed down the hallways, careful not to run, and found the only empty guest's room. She flitted around the room, making sure everything was in its place; the bed sheets were tight; the dresser was empty (so Tarrant could fit the clothing in there); the carpet was as pristine white as ever. She walked slowly around the room, trying to calm herself down.

* * *

She pulled a cup out of one of the cabinets and got to work boiling some water. She noticed that the ingredients for pishalver were still sitting on the table. Had she not touched the potions since Alice had left? She began cleaning up the table- putting the fingers in one of the cupboards, the wishful thinking in the ice box, and- lastly- the dead man's coins were returned to their spot in the cupboard with the fingers. She heard the water bubbling and went to poured it into her cup. She dipped the tea bag in it, letting the flavor be absorbed into the hot water. When she figured there was enough, she poured in just enough cream and just enough sugar. Tarrant had always made fun of her for the way she made her tea- extra light and extremely sweet. Speaking of Tarrant-

"Mirana, she's back!" he near screamed. He was pulling the blonde by the wrist through the threshold of the door. Mirana nearly choked on the sip of tea she had had in her mouth. She swallowed it quickly and plopped the cup down on the table. She rushed around the table, almost tripping a few times in her haste. She engulfed the young woman in a tight hug, not wanting to let go. Her best friend had returned! Alice laughed as she hugged her friend back. Alice couldn't help but notice that Mirana smelled of sugar, cream, and even a little bit like marshmallows. Mirana, similarly, noticed that Alice smelled of flowers and fruit- generally nature.

"Are ye duhn wit' yer huggin'?" asked the madman in his Outlandish accent. The women laughed and released each other slowly. They looked each other up and down. Mirana saw that Alice had grown in height- whether it was Upelkuchen or just age, she didn't know. Alice's hair was a bit curlier and a little longer. Her body seemed to be more that of a woman than of a girl.

"Yes, Tarrant, we've finished with the hugging," laughed Mirana. She took Alice's hand gently and led her out of the kitchen. "Come now, I've set up a room for you! We must get you settled and-"

"Mirana, don't over whelm the girl! She's barely ready to stand on her feet!" Mirana turned and scowled at him, earning a laugh from both her friends.

"Ignore him- he has no idea what he's speaking of. It's the madness, you know," she added in a whisper, informing Alice.

"Like ye're nea mad yerself," he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Both women laughed as they made their way to Alice's bedroom. She ended up loving it and thanked Mirana for the room, Tarrant for the clothes, and herself for deciding to come back. She smiled and watched the two mad-people as the left the room, laughing with each other over nothing.

"Like ye're nea mad yerself," mocked the white woman in a terrible Outlandish accent.

"Nea, lassie, ye're doin' It all wrong!" he shouted at her. Alice shook her head as their voices disappeared down the hall.


	3. A Tongue's Slip

**Who can spot the tongue's slip in this chapter? It is seriously too easy to find xD**

**Recommended Song of the Day—"Just to See You Smile" by Tim McGraw :D**

"**She sits quietly, black water in a jar. Says 'Baby why are you trembling like you are?' So I wait, and I try. I confess like a child- she's my kind of rain, like love from a drunken sky. Confetti falling down all night- she's my kind of rain."—She's My Kind of Rain, Tim McGraw.**

**Next chapter, we'll be out of 3****rd**** person POV- it bugs me.**

_**0-0-0 signifies POV change…**_

_**Tarrant Hightopp, 26 years old & Alice Kingsleigh, 24 years old**_

O-O-OTarrantO-O-O

Mere days after Alice arrived, Mirana- being Mirana- had planned a dinner for her return. As he sat there in his chair at dinner, he kept glancing to his right. He couldn't help it! He was so nervous right now. There, across from him, sat Matthew- Mirana's current suitor. It was everything Tarrant could do to keep himself from calling the man a guddler's scut or something of the sort. He was a nice man, though- even if he was trying marry Mirana. He barely knew the woman for heaven's sake!

"Tarrant, are you alright?" asked Alice. He looked to his left and fake-smiled at her. Her brow furrowed and he knew that she could see through it. His body started trembling as Matthew talked to Mira; his hands clenched into fists. His body was flooded with jealousy as his smile faded. He bared his teeth, still looking at Alice. He could feel his eyes burning with rage. She gently placed a hand on one of his fists, desperately trying to calm him.

O-O-OAliceO-O-O

"If your majesty would excuse me for a moment?" he asked through his teeth, turning to his Queen. She nodded, a look of concern gracing her features. He quickly stood and walked stiffly out of the room. Alice looked at the Queen questioningly and then followed the madman out of the room. She followed him all the way outside, into the pouring rain, through the maze, and to the back of the white castle.

"Bloody guddler's scut thinks 'e can jus waltz in thar ahnd talk the Meerana as if 'e 'as known 'er all 'is life!" Alice stifled her giggles and let him go on. "Well, 'e don't deserve the lass anyway- she is too guhd fer 'im. Maybe I shoold go in thar ahnd-"

"Tarrant Hightopp, stop right there!" she exclaimed, still smiling. Best not let him get too angry. "Who in Underland are you talking about?" she asked quietly. He had calmed down, in a way, and was looking at her more contently now.

"That Matthew fellow," he said sadly. His brogue had retreated and he was approaching her now. She placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look at her. One eye was a deep, dark green while the other was the lightest pink color ever seen.

"What about him?" she asked. He bit his lip and turned away.

"I can nea tell ye." She smirked- she knew what it was. He had been staring at their Queen for quite the amount of time tonight. He loved her, didn't he? Well, time to try a trick that her mother had taught her. It was a psycological one- you ask a vague question, but something immediately pops into that answerer's mind.

"Well, I think you like her," she said vaguely. She also knew that he'd fall for her trick.

"I absolutely do not love the Queen!" he shouted at her. She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I said nothing about love, nor did I speak of the Queen." She smiled sweetly at him as he slowly realized what he just said.

"My…my tongue slipped?" he stutterd, trying to come up with an explanation.

"Well, you know what they say. A tongue's slip is a truth's revelation." And with that, she left him there to figure out what she'd told him. As she re-entered the dining hall, she noticed that both Mirana and Matthew had disappeared. She, at the time, didn't give it a second thought.

O-O-OTarrantO-O-O

She turned around and walked away from him, leaving him rather confused about the whole exchange between them. He stared down at the ground, pushing around the mud with the toe of his boot. How had she made him confess so easily? She had asked him such a vague question, yet he managed to give a very detailed answer! What had he been thinking? How could he give himself away so quickly? He had been hiding that so well since…since…well, since forever, practically!

"Stoopid gurl might have 'er smarts, bu' I can still hide it yet!" he thought aloud. He stamped his way through the mud, careful not to get any on his socks, and slowly made his way back to the castle. He trudged through the dirt and grass and eventually made it all the way into the dining hall- no one sat at the tables anymore with one exception. Alice.

He went and plopped down in the chair, propping his elbow up on the table and resting his head in his hand. He closed his eyes and soaked in the warmth of the room. He was freezing cold and soaked to the bone. He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. His eyes flicked to his left where a hot cup of tea was waiting. He completely lifted his head and found Thackary standing there, waiting for praise like a very young child.

"Thank you very much, Thackary. You've done well," he said encouragingly. The Hare's face lit up with happiness as he realized he'd done something right. He eagerly left, probably to make something else. Tarrant dared to look at Alice. She was hiding her grin behind her tea cup, one arm crossed over her torso, one elbow resting on her arm. She was staring him dead-on, a little twinkle in her eye. He nearly growled at her when he was surprised. McTwisp was running into the room, shouting, screaming, panting, and hopping. Tarrant almost jumped a foot high when he heard the rabbit's frantic voice.

"Hatter! Alice! Her Majesty! She…she's not here! Vanished! Gone! Disappeared! Need I continue, madman, or can you get it through your thick skull? The Salugi Period's begun!" he shrieked. Tarrant's eyes were wide and red, Alice's large and dark. They both threw their tea cups onto the table and made a bee-line for the door, sprinting down the hall to Her Majesty's chambers. They felt no shame bursting through the door and searching the room. Tarrant saw Alice throw back the covers on Mirana's large bed and gasped.

"**Salugi" is an actual word by the way- go look it up!**

**Haha, cliff-hanger :D Very short, very fast moving plot and I'm sorry. But the next chapter will be longer as apology! Under her covers is nothing very bad at all…well, in a sense. **


	4. Realizations

**Finally, we're out of third person POV :D So, I decided that I'm going to put up an outtakes story thing for this- I'm not going to put anything terrible in here- gonna keep it rated "T"- don't worry. So, here's the next chapter!**

**Some people looked up Salugi- funny word, isn't it? Crazy definition…**

**Unfortunately, it's not a "Who-done-it" story, and if it was, the butler did it ;) No, it's quite a crazy thing I got brewing in my head!**

"**No one likes to hear that something is their last hope because that means that if the last hope doesn't work, there's nothing left"—Lemony Snicket**

_**Alice Kingsleigh, 26 years old**_

I rushed into the Queen's room and started searching with my eyes. The covers on her bed seemed a bit misshapen, so I started there. I pulled back the covers and gasped. There, on the pristine white sheet, was Mirana's white dress- a streak of something red going across it. But, it looked as if someone had painted it there. Pinned to the dress was a piece of parchment. I pulled up the clothing and walked slowly over to Tarrant. We studied the cloth for a moment, but decided Mirana had received nearly no harm. Well, she had been cut somewhere, but not on her torso- which was where the red was painted. If she'd been cut on her torso, she surely would've died. The dress had no tears, so she couldn't have fought back much.

"Wha's wit' the paper?' asked the madman beside me in his thick brogue. I could feel McTwisp's nervous eyes looking at my face, then darting to Tarrant's and back again. I swiftly unpinned the paper and read it carefully. It was in Mirana's handwriting, so her captor didn't want us to know who he- or she- really was.

_It's a riddle! _I realized, and then began to read it aloud.

"_I grabbed the Queen you love so much_

_And took her far away._

_Maybe you'll know where we are_

_And find us in a day!_

_We're in a place of blood and hate,_

_Somewhere she's been but once._

_Your poor Tarrant should know where,_

_Or is he too much of a dunce?_

_It's not too far from Hare's Windmill_

_I think he grew up here._

_Don't worry, mad-people_

_You should have no fear._

_I shan't hurt the lovely lady_

_I simply want what hers_

_I want her crown, and yes she has it_

_But she says she'll do as she prefers._

_It's quite alright with me you see,_

_I'll just coax it out of her._

_I won't be kind, I never said I would_

_Can you stop me? Sure._

_It won't be easy,_

_I'll tell you now._

_Come on, Champion_

_How fast can you shout "Ow"?_

_Your dear Mirana is quite stubborn_

_I hope she knows that's nea good._

_For I may hurt her if shan't give me what I need-_

_Because trust, believe me, I would."_

I stopped reading, as it ended there, and looked out into space. Where had he taken her? What was he doing to her? How in Underland were we to get her back?

"I know where they are," whispered Tarrant. I dared to look at him and immediately regretted it. His eyes were each a different color, something I swear I've seen before. One looked like a black hole; the other was a raging red. He looked very scared, yet very angry. I wanted to soothe him- oh how I wanted to soothe him!- but I felt the same and trying to help him would do me no good.

"Where?" I whispered.

"The…the Tulgey Wood. That's where they are." I folded the note and stuck in one of the pockets sewn onto my dress and headed out the door and down the hall- straight to the throne room. It was time to get down to business.

In the throne room, I walked down the long hallway, feeling a bit of déjà vu. I stepped around the light blue throne, subconsciously wondering why it wasn't white like everything else. I put the thought in the back of my mind and looked at the armor in front of me. My mind flashed back to the day I walked in here for the first time. It was coming in bits and pieces, certain sentences, certain moments.

"_Believe this belongs to you."_

Could I have said anything stupider?

"_The Vorpal Sword is home again!" _

She'd said, looking at the sword like she wanted to use it…but couldn't. It had made me confused, but now it was intensely incomprehendable.

"_Now all we need is a Champion! You're a bit taller than I thought you'd be."_

Now that I thought about it, I guess she had been hinting to me that I was supposed to be Champion in the first place. And, perhaps, I was to be her Champion once more. I lifted the Vorpal out of its resting place in the hands of my armor. I heard Tarrant come up behind me and take the sword from my hands.

"Go- put on the armor. I have a feeling you'll need it." I nodded seriously and donned the armor in the next room, a bit self conscious about undressing in front of him. He was a Hatter for heaven's sakes! He'd made all sorts of clothes- certainly he'd seen a woman in the nude before!

_Stop that, Alice. You have work to do! _I reminded myself. I made my way back to the throne room, but was intercepted by a very mad, very anxious little Hare. I furrowed my brow as he tried to say something clear, without his accent.

"Beh…cahr-fil, Ahleec," he said. I smiled, patting him on the head. No matter how dirty his fur looked, it felt very clean.

"I promise I will. Now, go make something to calm down Nivens. He's shaking like there's an earthquake." The Hare smiled at me and hopped off, happy with my answer. Although, I'm not too sure I believed myself. I mean, sure I'd be very careful, but would careful be enough to save all our lives?

I walked further and found the Hatter. We stared at each other for quite some time before we made our way outside. Mallymkin joined us- crawling up the Hatter and sitting on the brim of his hat. I envied her- she didn't have to walk a step. We were silent for quite some time, that is, until Hatter told me something very unusual.

"I know why he or she to Mirana, and not someone close to her. You know, to get the crown." I looked at him with great curiosity. I hadn't thought of that. But he was right. Wouldn't the captor take someone close to the person he was trying to get something from? Maybe ask for a sum of money, or, in our case, the crown?

"Why?" I asked, hoping that it was an answer that would give us the slightest bit of hope. We really needed it right now- the outcome of this situation looked pretty grim right now. It didn't matter that we had the Vorpal, Mallymkin's sword skills, the Hatter's fighting skills as well, or my Champion-ness. We might stand no chance against whoever this was! Our skills (or lack there of, in my case) were our last hope.

"Because," he stated simply, "Mirana won't fight back." And, unfortunately, I knew he was right.


	5. Lessons in Pain and Direction

**We won't be seeing much of Mirana's POV, mostly because it would give away our perpetrator- wouldn't want that, now would we? So, here's a tiny bit from her POV, and I wonder how pissed at me you'll be with the end of her POV ;)**

"_**Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."—Unknown**_

_**Mirana of Marmoreal, 26 years old**_

As I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was how dark and uncomfortable it was. I was certainly sitting in a tree, though I didn't know how I had gotten there. I stretched out and noticed some other things- I was freezing, sore, and strapped to the branch I was on! I looked down and saw the tree had shaped to my body, making me more comfortable than I would've been. And then I looked at myself. I studied my clothing, or what could be considered clothing.

I had on men's trousers that were cut off at mid-thigh and a blouse that was entirely too small, even on my tiny frame. I tried to stretch out the top, but I realized I was getting nowhere with it. I was wet from head to toe in- hopefully- water. I began picking at the leather strap that held me to the tree and gave up on that, seeing as I had nearly no strength.

"This is impossible," I muttered under my breath. I heard someone shift next to me and caught my breath. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see through the dark and ultimately failing.

"That it is, that it is," chuckled the voice next to me. I let out a bit of air, listening to the tiny hissing sound it made as it passed through my clenched teeth.

"Where are we?" I asked, very harshly.

"The Tulgey Wood. And your friends should be here any moment- we'd better go," it said angrily. I let out a "hmph!" but went along with it anyway. No use in fighting it. My captor undid the leather tie and gripped my waist. I was extremely surprised. After I thought a bit, I felt my soreness again. I must've had quite a few bruises.

"What did you do to me?" I asked, shocked as I felt all the places I was hurt.

"Oh, that's nothing. Well, nothing compared to what's to come if you refuse to hand over the crown. See, I won't take it forcefully. You'll learn on your own time, though, that it'd be best to give it to me now." And then I remembered- I had the upper hand in this because- well, I'd best not think about it. What this perpetrator didn't know could only help me in the long run.

"Wait a moment! I need you to write something for me. Another riddle." I grimaced as I was dropped and got ready to write.

"_I want you all to look around…" _I jotted down the words, praying someone was looking for me. When I stopped writing, I felt a sudden pain in the back of my head and screamed.

* * *

_**Alice Kingsleigh, 24 years old**_

The Tulgey Wood was not somewhere I would likely be visiting ever again. It was dark and scary and it made Tarrant antsy. Mally didn't seem to be too happy about being here either. As we picked our way through the wood, I realized it was far different from what I remembered. It was lush and green, I could see, even if it covered our heads so much that we couldn't see the sun. It was eerie and quiet- it made me uneasy.

"Ahlice…I din nea like it 'ere," whispered the Hatter, holding onto my shoulder so we weren't separated.

"Well, Hatter, we don't really have a choice here, now do we?" I asked, sort of annoyed. We had to get through here some how.

"'Spose not…" he trailed off, leaving the subject there. We walked around the whole Wood, searching and searching for something that might lead us to our lost friend. We did find some foot prints, but the just led into a lake. I sighed and plopped down on a rock, seriously annoyed with this criminal we were chasing. He- or she, of course- was not going to make this easy on us.

"Alice, where do ye suppose we could find another riddle?" asked the dormouse. She was still sitting on Hatter's shoulder, who had sat next to me without my knowing.

"Maybe in a tree?" I said, but it sounded like a question. And with that, she was off. I could barely hear her as she climbed every tree, looking for a piece of parchment. I was getting rather impatient, so I stood and began walking around. I heard a strange buzzing sound. It was loud and very…odd.

"Alice! Zounder! Kiotchyn! Noge!" shouted the Hatter. I racked through my brain for the meanings of those words as fast as I could. Zounder meant watch behind you, definitely. I turned and the buzzing grew louder. Kiotchyn meant…heads up! I looked around and saw huge wasp like creatures heading my way. Noge…noge meant…go down! I ducked at the last second as the bugs flew over my head. I turned to watch them and began to get up- until Hatter shouted another word at me. This one I knew far too well. "Nunz!" It meant wait or don't go yet. So I ducked, once again, just in time. One more flock of them was flying over head.

"Alice, the Tulgey Wood is dangerous! You must watch yourself!" shouted Mally from behind me.

"Bloody, slurvish, frumious, slurking, urpal, slackush, scrum-" said that Hatter, going into a mad fit of swearing.

"Hatter!" exclaimed Mallymkin, obviously upset by his words.

"I am so very confused about all these places in Underland…" I said, ignoring their exchange and thinking aloud. There were so many places to remember! I could barely remember Marmoreal and…Salazen Grum, was it?

"Maybe we ought to explain, Mally. She has every right to be confused." Hatter signaled for me to sit, which I did, and he followed.

"So, let's see. There's Marmoreal, which you'd better remember, naughty girl. Salazen Grum was where the Red Queen's Castle used to be, alright?" I nodded slowly, trying to store this information. "I used to live in Hightopps. Hightopps is in Witzend, which is the western part of Underland. Right now, we're in the Tulgey Wood, as you know," he continued, "which means we're in the Queast portion of Underland, so the Gummer Slough is not far from here. Queast is like the East in Aboveland." I nodded faster this time, putting it all together.

"So Marmoreal is where?"

"It's in Snud. Or the south, I suppose," said Mally, answering my question.

"And Salazen Grum is…"

"In Nowhere," finished the Hatter.

"Nowhere?" I asked. That was incredible!

"North," explained Mallymkin. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Nowhere, Snud, Queast…

"And what's the West?" I asked, feeling rather silly. I should know this place- I lived here!

"Witzend, silly girl! I thought we went over this already!" I giggled at my stupidness and looked around.

"I get it now. Well, moving on, let's try that tree over there." It looked suspicious in my opinion. As we got closer, I could see that it had a leather tie around one of the lower branches. Attached to the tie was a lock of hair (that didn't look like it'd been cut) and a note. I sighed in relief and picked up the note, reading it aloud.

"_I want you all to look around," _I stopped there, noticing the ink blotch. I glanced over at the lock of hair and winced, putting together what happened. I started again, trying to calm myself.

"_I want you all to look around  
__And study what you see  
__Do you see that bit of hair?  
__It's from your lovely Queen_

_We're walking right now  
__Heading Queast  
__I'm really hoping  
__We'll find a beast_

_I want you to stop  
__Look toward Snud  
__I really hope  
__You'll see the blood." _I stopped and we walked a bit south, staring at the ground. Hatter let out a cry as we saw the pool of blood before us. I tried desperately to slow my heart rate and began reading once more.

"_I'm moving on  
__I'm a bit bored  
__Maybe I'll practice  
__With my sword_

_Move along,  
__You're wasting Time  
__Mirana's fidgeting  
__Just follow the grime." _And there it ended. Sure enough, right where the pool of blood stopped, a trail of grime began. It looked like…mud- slushy, clear, mud. I furrowed my brown and bent down, poking it. It certainly felt like mud. But it was clear, almost white.

"Let's just go," said the Hatter. He sounded a bit hopeless. I stood up and gently took his hand, looking into his eyes. It was almost as if we were holding a silent conversation, trying to get each other to be the slightest bit happier. We continued walking, hand in hand, until we heard the scariest sound since the buzzing.


End file.
